Well tube cleaner



June 16, 1931.

L. SWIN FORD WELL TUBE CLEANER Filed Jan. 15 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet Inventor June 16, 1931.

L. SWlNFORD WELL TUBE CLEANER Filed Jan. 15, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor L 6 7/2" 5 win fbrd A ilorney Patented June 16, 1931 release LEVI SWINFORD, F GOMANCHE, OKLAHOILA.

WE'LL TUBE Application filed January 15, 1931. Serial Ito. 509,021.

This invention relates to a device for cleaning paraflin and the like from well tubes, the general object of the invention being to provide means including a pair of rotary spirals,

one of which is right and the other left so that when the device is forced into a well the spirals will rotate in opposite directions, with means for causing the adjacent ends of the spirals to close the passage formed by their convolutions, when the device is being pulled from the well, thus preventing the parafin from passing from the device. This invention also consists in certain other features. of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through a well tubing and showing the device in elevation with the two spirals separated.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the spirals connected together and being pulled from the tube. i

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Fi re 5 is a view of the rod on which the spiras are placed.

Figure .6 1s aview of the retaining collar.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 designates a part of the well casing and the numeral 2 designates a rod having each end threaded. A spiral 3 comprising a tubular part 3' and the spiral fins 3 is rotatably arranged on the lower part of the rod with the lower end thereof resting against the threadedsleeve 4 which is internally threaded to engage the lower threadedend of the rod and a collar 5 is fastened to the rod by a set screw 6, said collar bearing against the upper end of the spiral to hold it against longitudinal movement on the rod. A second splral 7 has in the scope of the a its tubular part rotatably arranged onthe upper part of the rod and this spiral is limited in its sliding movement on the rod by a collar or sleeve 8 which is also internally threaded and engages the thread on the upper end of the rod. The collar 8 is so placed that the spiral 7 has limited slidingmovement on the rod. Each fin of each spiral has an extension 9 thereon which projects beyond the. end of the tubular part of the spiral, these extensions being located at the adjacent (pnds of the spirals as shown in Figures 1 an 2.

- The deviceis lowered into a well tubingby I i any suitable means connected with the upperend thereof and as soon as the upper spiral 7 engages the paraflin on the walls of the tubing it will move upwardly until its upper end abuts the collar 8. As the device is pushed through the parafiin, the spirals will rotate and as the spirals areleft andright they will rotatein opposite directions. The edges of the fins will remove the parafiin from the walls of the tubing. When the device is being pulled from the tubing the upper spiral 7 will remain stationary as the rod 2 is moving upwardly until the lower end of the spiral 7 engages the collar 5 and this movement will cause the extensions 9 to overlap as in Figure 2 so that the extensions form a seat or closure to preventany parafin from. passing through the device as it is being pulled from the well.

This tubing cleaner can be leit in the wellon sucker rods above worh'ng barrel to a great advantage as only one pulling of the sucker rods leaves the tubing clean and ready for the device to go back down in the tubing again on sucker rods and the device will not interfere with the pumping operation.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may' be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall withpended c aims.

Having thus descrilied my invention, what I claim as new is: v

1. A well tube cleaning device com rising a rod, right and left spirals rotata ly arranged on the rod, means whereby the upper spiral has limited sliding movement on the rod and extensions of the spiral fins at the adjacent ends of the spirals which overlap each other when the u per s iral moves downwardly on the pulling o the device from the tubing for preventing the paraflin passing through the device.

2. A device of the class described comprising a rod, a pair of s irals rotatably arranged thereon, means for olding the lower spiral against longitudinal movement, means for permitting sliding movement of the 11 per spiral, an extension on the lower end 0 the spiral fin of the upper spiral and an extension on the upper end of the spiral fin of the lower spiral, such extensions overlappingf each other when the device is pulled from the well and the upper spiral moves downwardly on the rod.

In testimony whereof I aflix 111 Si ature.

LEVI S NF RD. 

